Method of making filigree ornaments



(No Model.)

0. K. SMITH.

METHOD OF MAKING FILIGREE ORNAMENTS.

Patented May 12,1891.

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tached to any part of the dress without incon- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLOTTE K. SMITH, OF BINGHAMTON, NEIV YORK.

METHOD OF MAKING FILIGREE ORNAMENTS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of LettersPatent No. 452,292, dated May 12, 1891.

Application filed January 6, 1891.

To all whom it may concern:

Beit known that I, CHARLOTTE K. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Binghamton, in the county of Broome and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods of Making Filigree Ornaments; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of a filigree ornament representing a flower-branch made according to my invention. Fig. 2 is a similar view of a filigree butterfly. Fig. 3 is a View illustrating my method of forming the body of the ornament, (in this case the body of the butterfly or beetle.) Fig. 4: is a view illustrating my method of forming and shaping the flat and thin parts of the ornaments, as the petals of a flower, a leaf, the wings of a butterfly, 820. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view of the finished body shown in Fig. 2, and Fig. 6 is a sectional view of one of the flower-petals shown in Fig. 1.

Like letters of reference denote corresponding parts in all the figures.

My invention has for its object to produce (as an improved article of manufacture) flexible ornaments of filigree-work adapted for womens wear, which may be worn in the tournure, corsage, or upon the dress, dad; and it consists in the hereinafter-described method of building up an ornament of peculiar character and composition adapted to be shaped in a variety of forms, and which, while comparatively inexpensive, will yet present avery neat and attractive appearance, and which is sufficiently light to be worn in the hair or atvenience to the wearer.

While I have rep esented only two forms of the ornament on the accompanying sheet of drawings, I desire it at the outset to be understood that I do not limit myself to any particular shape or form. Ornaments having the semblance of fruits, flower-buds, birds, and numerous other objects may be produced by substantially the same method by simply fierial No. 3'76 .852. (No model.)

giving the central body and its attachments a different outline.

I first produce the bulky part or body of the ornament (shown at A) by shapinga tuft of loose cotton, wool, or similar material with the fingers until it forms a rude outline or model of the shape which the finished body is to have. I then take apiece of very thin ductile wire 13, (spring-wire Will-not do; it must be a ductile or pliable wire, which will retain its shape after bending,) and wrap itaround the soft cotton body A, so as to compress the cotton and shape it to the desired outline. Thus it will be seen by reference to Figs. 3 and 5 that the bodyA is compressed by winding the wire B tightly around certainportions, so as to form three parts or sections, (denoted by the reference-letters a, b, and c, and which will form, respectively, the head, breast, or middle part and main body or abdomen of a butterfly, these several parts being properly shaped simply by the manner in which the wire B is wound around the cotton. To get satisfactory results requires practice; but this is soon acquired with a little patience and perseverance and by copying from mod els of proper size and proportions. After the central part or body A has been shaped in this manner the wings, petals, or other flat or attenuated parts of the ornament are formed by bending another piece of ductile wire 0 into an outline shape or skeleton frame of the wing, leaf, or other object which is to be made. Over this frame is crocheted thin cotton thread D, which has first been Wound with fine filaments of tinsel of Various colors E or with filaments of silver, bronze, and gold foil, thus forming a flat web F, the shape of which of course will depend upon the shape of the frame which it covers. The ends of the wire 0, forming this frame, are left projecting, as shown at C, so that it may be attached to the bod3 A by winding the projecting ends 0 around it. Finally, this central body is covered by winding it with the filament-covered thread D E, and thelegs and antennze of bugs and butterflies or the stamens of flowers, as the case may be, are formed from pieces of wire cut into proper lengths and bent into suitable shape, which are wound with the filament covered thread D E.

By this method a great variety of ornaline and covering the same with a web of Iilawent-covered thread; thirdly, fastening these attachments to the central body by the pro jeeting ends of the wire frame, and, fourthly, covering" the body with the filament-coated or filigree thread, substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereunto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLOTTE K. SMITH.

Witnesses:

CHARLES COOLMAN, J Ol-IN MILLER. 

